“Keep Your Finger Off The Trigger!” by Rod Waddington is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Triggers
A trigger is anything that quickly brings up a strong emotional or physical reaction, often linked to a past experience that was traumatic, or stressful. The trigger itself might look small or harmless from the outside, but inside it “presses a button” that has already been wired in by earlier events.
What a trigger is
- A trigger can be a sight, sound, smell, word, situation, or thought that reminds your nervous system of something threatening, shaming, or painful from the past.
- The reminder might be obvious (a car backfiring after a crash) or subtle (a tone of voice that feels like a critical parent).
- Your body can react before you have time to think: racing heart, tension, anger, panic, going numb, or suddenly wanting to escape.
So a trigger is not just “something that annoys you.” It is something that re‑activates an old emotional memory or survival response.
Why triggers feel so strong
When something frightening or deeply upsetting happens, your brain links details of that moment (place, people, sounds, smells, phrases) with a danger signal. Later, when a similar detail shows up, your brain can react as if the old threat is happening again right now.
This can cause:
- Fight, flight, or freeze – you snap, withdraw, panic, or go blank.
- Intrusive memories or images – bits of the old event popping back in.
- Big feelings that seem “out of proportion” to the situation.
From the outside it can look like an overreaction; from the inside it feels like your body is trying to keep you safe based on old learning.
Types of triggers
Common examples include:
- Sensory triggers – sounds, smells, images, physical sensations.
- Situational triggers – being ignored, crowded, trapped, or alone.
- Relational triggers – criticism, rejection, someone raising their voice.
- Inner triggers – certain thoughts (“I’m failing”), memories, or body feelings (racing heart, tight chest) that remind you of past fear or shame.
Working with your triggers
You cannot always control what appears in life, but you can learn to relate differently to your triggers:
Name them: Notice patterns: “I get strongly triggered when…”. Writing them down helps you see they are predictable, not random.
Separate past from present: Silently label: “This feeling is old; right now I am [here], with [these people].” You are not denying the feeling, just reminding yourself that the danger is not literally the same.
Ground your body: Slow breaths, feeling your feet on the floor, looking around and naming five things you can see. Bringing attention to your senses tells your nervous system it is in the present, not back in the memory.
Soften the inner critic: Being triggered is not a moral failure. It is your nervous system doing what it learned to do. Treat yourself as you would a friend: with patience and curiosity.
Get support if needed: If triggers are frequent or overwhelming. and can cause panic attacks, dissociation, or big problems in daily life. It can help to work with a therapist to process the original experiences and build more tools.
In plain terms: a trigger is a shortcut between “something that happens now” and “how your nervous system learned to survive then.” Understanding that link is the first step to changing how much it controls your life.
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